Ascension
by Elkpelt the Wolf-Chalk
Summary: "She didn't feel ready to take his place in the pedestal of guidance and wisdom, things years ago she never thought possible for Po to obtain. Tigress was wise within every inch of her old bones but her soul still felt young and unprepared. Just because her fur grew white didn't mean her soul became any older than it had many seasons ago." [Tigress/Po] /One-Shot/
**Author's Note:** _Well kick me_ , so... This was _supposed_ to be peaches2217's thing since she asked for 8 on the _The way you said "I love you."_ , well me being a _ **dumbarse**_ didn't seem to realize the one I went for wasn't 8. It was bloody 35 being "Goodbye" instead of "As an Apology." I mixed up 8 and 35. How do I do that. **_HOW._**

I ended up writing 35 just to see that I wrote the wrong one. So I'll need to fix this to make the one she really wanted but I do want to post what I did.

Its got old!TiPo in it, meaning they are in their late 80s or so. Its really depressing, just warning you now~

* * *

She trailed behind them as he was carried up the pathway to the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, her knuckles tightening around the lean staff that once belonged to the great Oogway. Her mighty striped head was streaked white with age as she raised it, fighting back tears the moonlight above made glisten. Tigress heaved a noisy breath that made her tremble visibly, struggling to get a grip on her emotions as she forced her creaking knees to bend. Arthritis made walking nearly impossible these days but she was determined to make it to that cliff. A cool wind brushed her fur and ruffled the faded green robes she adorned, it gave little comfort but urged her on.

His time was approaching, the grandmaster had sensed it for awhile now but hid it under his relaxed, happy nature. Tigress saw it in the way he deteriorated these few days, he slowly began to just fade away. Eventually he couldn't stand on his own two feet any more and merely fell to the ground one morning, his breathing far more laborious than any aftermath stairs could ever bring. She'd clutched him to herself when she found him, cradling him like the most precious thing in existence as she hollered for help.

She came to the tree's sacred perch, watching as the palace staff parted like the sea to the tigress. A few held lanterns up with long sticks, giving the blue area a dash of golden light to chase off the dark. Their eyes held grief and sympathy that turned to the panda laying sprawled out on the bamboo stretcher, his large belly struggled to follow the rise and fall of steady breaths. Hands folded close to hearts and hidden beneath heavy robes, each servant bowed to Tigress as she passed them. They all murmured condolences that pricked painfully at her emotional barrier. Spider web cracks were developing.

She had to remain strong for everyone, Tigress fought the need to collapse before her dear friend as she kept a leveled chin. Closer she brought herself, leaning heavily on her staff as the full impact of his condition hit her. The weight pressed against her chest and trembling, Tigress let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. Falling onto her knees, the old master put her staff aside to peer down at Po. She braced her paws near his head, hovering partially over the male. Though she didn't openly weep, he could easily see the pain etched onto her face.

He smiled at her weakly. Her lower lip shook immensely as she dip her chin into her neck tightly, shoulders quaking as she strived to stay solid.

 _"So hardcore you don't feel anything..."_

"Po..." Tigress whispered, voice cracking.

His jade eyes kept their youthful sparkle and his hands were still just as gentle as they held hers, fingers interlocking together. He coaxed her face down to his and pressed their foreheads together. She prayed so hard that merely holding him would be enough to keep him tethered to her. Still he slipped through her grasping fingers that had once fought many battles, no amount of punching iron wood trees could help her now. All her life she chased after the impossible relentlessly, always Po in some shape or form became the untouchable for the tiger in the very end.

"Tigress..."

Slowly she met his eyes, throat constricting. Everything turned blurry as warm tears threatened to escape, Tigress felt one of his paws weakly leave hers to cup her cheek. Tenderly he touched a tear as it rolled down her face, catching it before rubbing his thumb against the weeping eye. She gazed forlornly at him, grieving openly at the old panda. He'd grown almost white in his increased age, the fine brown parts beneath his eye patches and along his belly were all but gone. Tigress saw much of his late father Li Shan in him.

"Don't go," she begged, her heart was breaking. "Don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone..."

He didn't say anything for a long while, merely content with feeling her warmth against his being.

"You are all that's left..." Tigress croaked. "I can't... go on without you... I simply can't..." The wounds to the heart left by the passings of their old friends stung, it wasn't too long ago did the fourth member of the original Furious Five, Monkey, left them. Tigress lifted his paw to her mouth, peppering his knuckles with butterfly-like kisses, speaking in hushed heartbroken whispers in between.

Tigress would be the last of their little family to remain, expected to carry Po's torch over the Valley of Peace as he had for Shifu all those years ago. They would mourn but look to her for guidance through the difficult time. The new generation needed her and Tigress wasn't prepared for such a burden all alone. She always believed she would be the first to leave the physical realm behind, she never chalked up the notion of Po dying before she. He was younger than she by a stray few years and always oozed with energy, especially after his duel with the ruthless Kai all those decades ago.

Some believed he was to live beyond even Oogway's good seven hundred, that always had distressed Po, even if he never spoke it.

She didn't feel ready to take his place in the pedestal of guidance and wisdom, things years ago she never thought possible for Po to obtain. Tigress was wise within every inch of her old bones but her soul still felt young and unprepared. Just because her fur grew white didn't mean her soul became any older than it had many seasons ago.

While Tigress began to fall apart in her growing years he seemed as if he were going to live forever. Suddenly Po was being snuffed out right before her.

"You'll be okay," Po finally said in a soft exhale, the words practically falling from his large lips.

The tiger bared her teeth at him with a snarl rumbling within her throat. "You old damned _fool_... you have _no_ right to believe that!"

"Beliefs were all I had Tigress," he uttered with a chuckle. "Please let me believe."

"If believing takes you from me than no I would like to be selfish for once," Tigress said in a whisper, breath hitching as she tightened her grasp on his smaller paw.

"You are the most awesome person that I know. You'll be just fine without me." He had the _gall_ to smile at her. "You were fine all those years before me, you'll be fine a few years without me too."

"Oh Po..." Choking back a sob, she felt him tip her chin softly. Their eyes met and she could see her reflection staring back at her from his eyes. They too were trembling with unshed tears and Tigress realized with a pang of guilt he was afraid of what was to come as well.

"Promise me that you will believe too, Tigress..." He rasped, Tigress could feel he was beginning to make his leave. "Then... you'll never really be... alone..."

"Until my last breath, Dragon Warrior," she replied shakily, his smile could light up the night as it broadened. Her heart wasn't into the words but she knew Po needed to hear them. Somehow it brought the slightest sensations of calm to her turmoiled soul.

She leaned her face closer to his so that their noses touched gently. Her paws framed his face and the old master tenderly pressed their lips together for a final time. Vaguely she could feel him return it, struggling to remain tangible seconds more just due to the taste of her. Lingering Tigress pulled away, shutting her eyes as a powerful wind shook the area around her. She rubbed her paws into his fur comfortingly, encouraging him that it was alright to leave her now.

The spirits were summoning him, that was why Po had asked to be carried here. Much like Oogway and Shifu before him, it was time for him to make his climb to the beyond.

"I gotta go..." He said breathlessly.

"I know Little Lotus," Tigress gently said. There was a heavy pause. "I love you."

The scent of peach blossoms filled her nose, feeling the petals brush along every part of her being softly. Collective cries of the servants behind her filled her ears and Tigress felt him slip away from her. His solid form faded away and Tigress felt her paws braced against fabric instead of soft fur. It took her a few long moments to brace herself, coaxing bravery into her heartbroken being. Eventually as she open her red eyes she saw he was truly gone, the bamboo stretcher only leaving his warmth and imprint to show Po had ever been laying there. Tigress chanced a glance at the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom and saw it's branches were bare. They were just skeletal, trembling under a strong wind.

It was a perfect representation of how she felt that very moment as the world around her collapsed.

He had ascended.

Now all alone Tigress let the tears fall freely and she clutched her paws against her face painfully. There was an anguished cry that filled the twilight followed by the raw, unadulterated sobs as she curled herself together on the grass beside the stretcher. Her knees were drawn into her face, Tigress rocking herself back and forth as one name kept exploding from her lips.

 ** _"Po!"_**

The palace staff looked at one another, unsure of what to do as they too mourned the great loss of their grandmaster. Tigress ignored their pitied looks and only once she felt like the last tear fell did she try to stand. It was a tremendous effort as her joints struggled against the pain, both physical and mentally. Tigress could never describe how hard it was to leave him behind on that cliff, she clutched her staff tightly and leaned her weight heavily.

She couldn't recall what a world without Po felt like, after nearly sixty years together... it seemed impossible. But here she was in it once again and it was empty, like a part of her soul was ripped from her. Tigress had nearly lost him many times in their long comradely together and the fact now he was truly gone forever was a cold shock to her system.

A few petals fell against her face as she took one last look behind her, the servants leading the way back with sniffles of their own. Darkness fell over her as the lanturns were taken with them down the path, she stared at the spot Po lay minutes before.

"Goodbye," she said into the night. With all the willpower she could muster, she began her descent.


End file.
